Always
by SnapeWolf277
Summary: Antauri is that one that you can always trust with anything. However, after a racist incident and losing his composure, he's attacked by Mandarin and left human, though retains his powers. Their goal: To change him back, but will it be easy - or possible?
1. Composure

There was only one time when Antauri had become agitated. Usually he was a calm monkey, rarely angered, however there were exceptions. Extremely rare exceptions.

Antauri had gone missing. Nobody knew exactly where he'd gone, but Chiro had a feeling that somehow his disappearance was related to an incident at a nearby cafe that they'd gone to a few days ago, straight after a mission.

He could remember the details so vividly as if it had just happened. Two youths had entered the cafe and been tended to by a dark skinned woman. She'd given them exactly what they'd asked for, no mistakes at all, but afterwards they'd refused to tip the woman.

And then had come the abuse. Sexism at first.

It hadn't been their problem at first so most of the civilians had stayed out of it. The monkey team had moved over to try and stop their abuse. Nova hadn't been there which had been good, because she'd have thrown the two kids into the middle of the road had she been, or sent them careening straight into a wall.

And then they'd swapped from sexism to racism. Antauri hadn't seemed bothered by it, his usual dismissive mask plastered over his face like a protective shield, but it'd gone on and on, other civilians becoming involved in trying to push the two youths out of the way.

But then had come the dreaded 'N' word. The one that set him onto a mild, seething, but quiet rampage. One which he tried immediately to suppress.

Antauri had snapped. Tables quivered; glasses, cups and plates exploded where they stood. At first they'd thought it had been a monster attack, but Sprx had heard the telltale snap of wood, loud against the quaking. Antauri's hand had turned into a venomous green claw, his eyes forced closed and jaw set, muzzle wrinkled in the beginning of a snarl.

Everyone had turned to stare at him. Antauri had his unusual, yet unfortunately justified reaction to their racism. Antauri was black; his fur was the hue of a dark starless night, of charcoal without embers that created it. The two youths, one of whom had brandished a knife in self defence against the psychic tremors that wrecked the cafe's sturdy foundations, fled after the dark monkey's furious emerald irises had latched onto the object.

He had literally ripped it out of their hands using just his mind, let it hover in midair for a brief moment before the blade had imploded; or rather, had caved in on itself. A few vicious snaps as the blade was bent, coiling around itself broadside like a silver viper, and then it was deposited on the ground while the wooden hilt of the knife was crushed.

Antauri had taken to breathing deeply and the psychic energy had receded back into the mysterious depths of which it had originated. Then the ebony monkey himself had shoved his salad away and flown off somewhere in silence.

Time had passed with the team in stunned silence, casting knowing looks. Nova had not believed them when they'd started searching for him after the first ten hours of radio silence, saying that there was no way Antauri could have lost his bearings.

And now Chiro was perched atop the Super Robot's head, gazing out over the city, waiting for his beloved mentor to return after a time of solace. He sat out in the freezing cold for three hours but he saw no comforting sign that Antauri had returned to them. No tiny speck of light that announced Antauri was coming home after his vigil to mourn the first ever incidence where he had lost his temper.

When would Antauri come back? Did he want to talk about it? Chiro desperately wanted the black monkey to call in, to let them know he was at least alright. Chiro's blue eyes closed and his sigh melted away into the wind.

And at the same, Antauri, who was prowling through the streets of Shuggazoom City, sighed as well. His green eyes were closed, his body almost invisible, respectively, beneath the cold moon light that bathed his skin. Racism. He hated it. He hated sexism as well, and he was shamed that he'd allowed a lapse in concentration to sway his judgement; to morph his actions into a form of aggression.

And he knew very well, as he stalked beneath the shadows of the alleyways, as his soft black pads moulded over stones beneath his ivory feet, that his teammates had been trying fervently to contact him. He was just too ashamed to reply. In a sense he wanted them to find him, but in another he wanted to be left alone.

"I should have been careful," the dark, slender simian chastised himself bluntly, caring not for his own emotional well being. "I'm meant to set an example for the others, and yet I've allowed my emotions to cloud my judgement, to rule over my actions..."

"Yes," drawled a sick accent behind him. Antauri spun around just in time to be blinded by a furious, white hot light. "You should have..."

"Mandarin!" Antauri roared, wiping at his eyes as the attack had died down. "What... Have you..."

He was punched into the wall and grunted weakly. The beam of light, whatever it had been, was gnawing away at his energy. He wailed in pain as his bones were stretched, his skin being pulled like he were trying to fly with rocks tied to his ankles. The metal of his arms sunk in, his jaws stretched open in a soundless screech.

Then, after a few moments of writhing in a bed of debris and rubble, the evil flame-hued simian stood on his chest. He couldn't breathe.

Mandarin purred with vicious satisfaction. "Perfect. The ray that the Skeleton King created has worked!"

Antauri blinked before he couldn't stave away the tempting darkness that awaited him. As shouts in the distance announced the arrival of the monkey team, clearly roused by the sirens of danger back at the Super Robot, Antauri faded into oblivion...


	2. At War With Ones Self

...Three days later...

Should he be worried? He couldn't remember much. Just that he'd been discharged from hospital with a concussion, and that he'd apparently been naked when he'd been found by the Hyper Force. He couldn't speak either, but they said he would in time.

Antauri. That was his name. The hospital had hooked him up with a charity, who'd supplied him with clothes. So now the dark skinned, lithe yet still muscular man strode through the city, minding his own business, or trying to anyway, if he could remember what it was.

He was 6'11. Very tall, very slim, well built. He had long black-brown hair with strange, glossy silver streaks that danced like polished gunmetal as he walked, his hands buried in his pockets. It was combed back for the while but the hair at the sides of his head was resting over the front of his shoulders while most of it swayed at the back. His hair was past his waist, at the top of his calf muscles just behind his knees.

In regards to his face and overall build, he was broad shouldered and very muscular. His nose wasn't flat, but it was somewhat large and slightly hooked - handsome. He was what most would be considered 'normal', his skin resting casually without wrinkles over his youthful complexion. He had a thin sideburn on each side just behind his cheek, and a small moustache that broke off at the edges of his lips, and a tiny beard.

His skin was a stunning chocolate brown, so graceful and mystical in appearance. His pointed eyes were soft, but what was most unique was that they weren't dark like most would expect; they were a crystal emerald green, soft and filled with warmth. As he walked, his posture straight from years of meditation that at this point seemed blurred, his clothing rippled over lean muscles.

Beneath his black leather, sleeveless waistcoat was an identical hued T-shirt that stopped just short of his elbows. He wore dark denim jeans, a large, very heavy silver chain belt holding it against his thin frame as though it would fall without it. Tight around his feet were black leather boots, and while he was dressed all in dark clothing, it didn't mean he was a goth.

His skin relished in the warmth of the sun and he angled his pointed jaw upwards, letting it touch his throat for a moment before he sighed and continued on his way.

Just up ahead there was a crowd, and he continued at a casual, steady pace as he approached, not wanting to rush at all. The crowd was gathered around a group of four teenagers surrounding a man, who seemed uneasy about the attention. Racial comments were flung from the four teenagers to the man, who had significantly darker skin than Antauri did.

Something told Antauri that he should remain calm, yet something else told him to teach them a lesson about respect and tolerance of others who were different to you. Something of two of the teenagers was vaguely familiar and that only brought about annoyance.

With his hands still in his pockets he nudged his way gently through the crowd until he was standing behind one of the youths. The shorter man gulped, seeing the 6'11 giant looming over him, and his chin lifted challengingly.

"What do you want?"

The monkey team were approaching from nearby, and Chiro stiffened as he saw Antauri – though he didn't recognise him. "Isn't that the guy we found the day Antauri disappeared?"

"Yeah, it is," Sprx commented.

Nova folded her arms. "I still want to know why Mandarin went after him."

Otto shrugged. "Maybe we should ask."

Antauri ignored them, not hearing the hushed voices around them. He simply pointed down towards the end of the street. His muscles were tense and they seemed to intimidate the youth all on their own.

'_Leave.' _The gesture said. All of the boys glanced uneasily at each other, and seeing the Hyper Force all gather in the middle in defence of the black man, the four teenagers left.

"Thank you," praised the rescued man to his saviour – Antauri. Antauri simply smiled down at him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what I'd have done without you."

'_Just don't hold a grudge against them,' _Antauri thought, bowing slightly with a respectful smile before he turned and stalked off. Chiro stared at him as he left, and then decided to follow, the rest of the monkeys walking at his heel.

"Uh, excuse me," Chiro reached up and tugged on his arm gently. Antauri stiffened and turned slowly, gazing down calmly at the child. Chiro's eyes locked briefly with his, and for a moment Antauri saw something that looked like respect or... Was that love? He tilted his head and waited, the sun beaming down on his body.

"What you did back there for that man," Chiro commented, "It was good. I wanted to thank you for that. Do you have a name?"

Antauri lifted his hand and motioned to his throat, then shook his head. '_Can't speak.'_

"Oh, you're mute?"

A nod, then a shake of his head.

"So you... Are but you're not?"

"Maybe it's temporary," Gibson supplied. "I did think it was a concussion he'd obtained after that fight with Mandarin but-!"

'_Mandarin...' _A flicker of memory passed through him and he gasped involuntarily, gripping at his head. Chiro pushed on his chest slightly as he leaned over, rubbing at his eyes. An orange monkey, a moon, rage, fear... Scorn from the flame-coloured creature. He felt faint.

'_How can I understand these monkeys?' _Antauri asked himself, '_And how can this child?'_

"Maybe we should take him back to the Super Robot," Gibson frowned, "I'd like to run some tests on him. He looks quite ill."

"Yeah, I think so too," Chiro nodded. "Alright, we'll take him back. Otto, Nova, Sprx, you three should continue searching for Antauri. Let us know when you find anything. I'm worried."

Antauri's bright emerald eyes widened slightly and his brow angled down. Why would they be looking for him? He rubbed a hand through his dark hair and let the boy tug him along back to a giant metallic behemoth. It seemed to gaze out across the city from where it stood, and it was hard navigating around the corridor in a maze meant for someone smaller.

All of this seemed familiar to him. Antuari paused as they passed a series of tubes, his mouth parting slightly, brow furrowing in concentration as he rested his hand against the side panel of a grey one stationed at the end.

Chiro glanced back at him, curious. "That's a lift," he murmured. "You can't go in it though. That leads to my second in command's bedroom, Antauri."

Again, Antauri spun around at mention of his name. How did this boy know him? And this was his bedroom? He stumbled against the side of the tube and rubbed at his head again. '_I remember... I remember what happened! My name is Antauri. This Mandarin hit me with some sort of ray, but... What else?'_

It made no sense. He stared at his hands, then at Gibson, who was staring expectantly back at him, and then examined himself. This made no sense. It was confusing.

He had a headache – couldn't concentrate, couldn't... Focus... And dizziness. He found himself slumped against the tube before he knew what had happened and groaned, rubbing at his head again. Chiro and Gibson both dragged him into the infirmary and lay him down on the bed, though he was much too long for it, and instead had his feet on the floor, knees bent over the end.

Gibson ran his tests after Antauri had dozed off to sleep, all on his head to make sure there wasn't any residual damage, and then pulled Chiro to the side. His expression was one of concern.

"I don't know what's going on but according to the computer... Agh, how do I put this?"

Chiro folded his arms over his chest. "Put _what?_"

He was too worried about Antauri and where the little black monkey was to deal with Gibson's confused, inadvertent dramatics. Gibson stared at the pad, unsure, for a long moment and then offered it to the boy instead.

On the display there was a picture of the 6'11 giant occupying the room, and there was a picture of Antauri, gazing up at Chiro's sullen face. The patient eyes there distracted him for a brief moment and as he observed the two streams of DNA lined up by the sides of both pictures, he shrugged.

"I don't get it. What does this mean?"

"It means there are traces of Antauri's DNA on this human. He may know where to find Antauri."

Chiro spun urgently. "Do you know where Antauri is?" Antauri sat up and sighed, then nodded. Boy, this was getting weird. "Where is he?"

Antauri, not being able to talk, remained quiet. "I said where is he?" Chiro shouted, gripping his waistcoat in an angry, iron death grip. Submissively Antauri waited, glaring in warning at him, but Chiro held on tight.

"He can't talk, remember?" Gibson snapped, squeezing Chiro's grip. "I know you're worried but we need to wait until he can talk before we can get information from him."

Chiro glared at the human male, uncaring that he was probably just under twice his own height, and then sighed dejectedly. "You're right. Okay, he should stay here until we can find out a way to get him to talk. I'll show him to the guest room. You call the others back and tell them we have a lead."

Gibson nodded and Chiro led Antauri up a set of stairs, where Antauri practically had to lean over slightly to prevent himself from ramming his already sore head into the ceiling. The room he was shown was of decent size, a single desk and bed resting at the end with the rest just carpet and space.

Antauri examined the room, having seen it before – he had assisted in its decoration, after all – and craned his shoulder until it clicked.

Chiro stared guiltily at him from behind. "Look," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, mister. I'm just really worried. You see, Antauri is my closest friend and my mentor, and, well... He vanished a few days ago and we're all looking for him. He won't respond to our hails."

Antauri was surprised by the confession, and stared at his shoes for a moment. He was upsetting the team – something he'd vowed he'd never do, and yet... He walked towards Chiro and knelt down, rested a hand on his shoulder and smiled reassuringly. He couldn't soothe him any other way, though he knew if he could, he'd have told them who he was already.

Chiro locked eyes with the giant dark-skinned man and suddenly felt peace, as if Antauri was in the room with him, giving him advice. It was strange, but those eyes were as calm as his mentor's, and Chiro quickly found himself smiling back up at the nameless stranger.

"When you do talk, would you tell us what you know, though? I know we've had a bit of a rough start, but... I miss Antauri."

Antauri leaned back slightly and pressed a hand against his chest. '_I'm with you, Chiro,' _he tried to convey, '_Please understand. I'm here, you don't need to worry!'_ Yet why didn't he remember anything else?

But Chiro didn't get the message. He simply smiled again, taking the gesture as a sign of honesty – like a salute. "Thanks," he murmured, "By the way, I'm Chiro. The blue monkey before is called Gibson. I, uh, I'd better leave you to settle in for a while, but lunch is in an hour. Do you have any allergies?"

Antauri shook his head, and then lifted a finger to his lips, motioning that there was something. He opened his mouth, revealing pearly white teeth – notably a set of sharp canines, longer for a normal human – and mouthed, "Vegetarian".

"You're a Vegan?" Chiro looked mildly surprised, and then saddened. "So is Antauri," he murmured. "Well I don't think he'll mind if we give you some of his salads or shakes. I mean he's the only one that really eats it, though he does try to get us to eat some every now and again."

Antauri grinned slyly and rose, shrugging. '_No, I don't mind feeding myself some of my own food. But it's good for you,'_ he mused to himself as Chiro chuckled and headed out of the door.

He didn't really bother staying in 'his' room though, and instead went back downstairs as the monkeys gathered in the briefing room. They all smiled at him, which he found mildly comforting, as he barely avoided knocking his head into the top of the door frame.

"So we're gonna start searching the outskirts later," Sprx concluded with a glance at his search partner, Nova. Antauri stared at the screen of the computer, looking at the data they'd already collected, and lowered his gaze sadly. Maybe he could type them a message! He looked at the keyboard for a moment, but Otto had already switched off the monitor.

"So this guy's staying with us?" Otto asked after a moment, sizing up the tall dark haired male curiously. Antauri ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his small beard slightly in thought.

"Yeah," Chiro nodded, looking at Antauri again with an apologetic flicker in his eyes. "He can't talk yet though. Gibson says that the shock from the attack hasn't fully worn off yet."

Nova suddenly activated her fists. "If anyone's harmed Antauri, I'm gonna smash them-!" She swung her fist towards Antauri first, making him jump, "And pound them!" Towards Chiro this time, making him flinch, "And slam them...!"

Antauri folded his arms over his chest and gave her a stern stare, which she seemed to catch and shied away from. "Sorry."

Otto suddenly laughed in his childish, yet rumbling voice. "Aw man!"

Antauri grinned and mentally laughed, gazing at his younger brother in amusement. Otto grinned back up at the long-haired man and then felt an idea surge through him. "Oh! Come here, let me show you something I made the other day!"

And he was promptly dragged from the gathering of simians and humans by the excitable green monkey, into his little tech lab. He looked back, lips curled up in a half smirk, and waved a farewell. Of course, Otto, being a friendly but loveable klutz, didn't account for the height difference. When Antauri was pulled into the small gathering, his head slammed against the top of the door before he was pulled inside with a grunt. Chiro laughed behind him and shook his head. Weird...


	3. Awaken, Antauri

...The next day...

Antauri woke up, ensconced within a nest of sheets and shivered, stretching out his long legs. He felt strangely relaxed – that was, until he stretched out so far that his leg cramped up. He hissed in response to the painful pulling in his calf and pulled his leg in towards him, digging his nails into his knee as he waited for it to subside.

When it ended a few seconds later he limped over to the bathroom, washed his face, brushed his teeth, dressed himself and then went downstairs. Sprx was already down there, lazing about in his chair, yawning a bored greeting. Upon seeing the unsightly limp, he leaned forward to get a better look.

"You okay, dude?" His usual phrase of 'kid' couldn't really be applied to the fully grown man.

Antauri smiled and nodded, sitting down on the floor by the wall and rubbing his leg. Sprx swung himself off of his egg chair and strolled over, peering at the tension he saw there.

"Ugh, cramps," he gagged, "Yeah, that looks like a nasty one. If you want, get Gibson to give you a massage. I'm sure he'll enjoy it."

'_Something tells me he might not,' _Antauri thought to himself and smiled.

"So, you have a name?"

Antauri frowned, then nodded. He shared the name of the monkey with which they were searching. Sprx shrugged and settled down beside him, reaching out to feel the gunmetal silver strands of his hair.

"Your hair is the longest I've ever seen," he commented quietly, twining the silky strands between his metal fingers. Antauri smiled slightly and nudged a stray strand back behind his ear. "So do you want-... Hey, the mail is here!"

Sprx rose and rushed down to meet the mailman, who had just appeared on the screen. As he got back, however, he was frowning. "Something for Antauri," he mumbled, a parcel in his hand.

'_For me, or for the monkey?' _

"Mail?" Gibson asked as he stepped through from the kitchen with a glass of warm orange juice. "Who for?"

"Antauri," Sprx repeated. Gibson grimaced and peered at the wrapping. "Should we open it?"

"Better get Chiro," The blue-furred simian shrugged. "I don't think Antauri would appreciate us opening his mail for him."

The entire team came down after hearing of the strange parcel. Chiro held it carefully in his hands and scanned the dark brown paper warily. "What if it gives us a clue about where he is?" Nova argued.

"What if it's something personal?" Sprx shot back.

"Antauri's a very private monkey," Chiro sighed, "He doesn't like anyone snooping around where they're not welcome."

"What if you unwrap it," Otto made an exaggerated gesture with his hands, then lifted them up slightly and moved it to the left and added, "Check what's inside and then wrap it again so he wouldn't know."

"_Lie? _And to _Antauri _of all people?" Scoffed a suddenly irked Gibson, huffing crossly. "Not only is that idea undignified, but have you any _inkling_ what would happen if Antauri found out we were keeping something from him? Besides, he always knows when people are lying to him! You'll never get away with it."

"Can't hurt," Nova said solemnly, ignoring Gibson's tangent. "What if it is something that can help us find him?"

"I guess we'll just have to open it and find out," sighed Chiro. After a moment he looked around, offering it to them, but nobody would take it.

"I'm having no part in this! This is an invasion of Antauri's privacy!"

The dark skinned man rose and leaned against the console with interest in the conversation, but as he blinked, there was a flash of memory.

_He finalised the order with a sense of satisfaction, his black fur tingling with anticipation. They'd send it to the Super Robot in a few weeks time and he'd be able to treat his team to a nice day off. They'd been working so hard, they were all quite tired, and they needed a break._

His eyes snapped open and he blinked a few times rapidly, watching the parcel being passed from one monkey to another. Though they'd agreed on opening it, nobody wanted to perform the task. What if it was something private, anyway? Well they all laughed at the thought of Antauri buying something inappropriate – he didn't seem the type for magazines or anything of the sort, whether it is on cars, gossip or sex.

Antauri reached out and plucked the parcel from Sprx as he tried to force it upon a panicking Otto. They all gazed at him with surprise as he sat down and gently nipped at the side with his finger. They gathered about the lanky man and be paused briefly, looking around to make sure it was what they really wanted before they all committed to the act.

Chiro anxiously nodded and crossed his fingers. Antauri tugged on the wrapping and opened it, to which a small box with a letter was snuggled. He carefully tugged the box out and opened the letter, offering it to Sprx.

Clearing his throat, Sprx examined the letter. "_To Antauri, second in command of the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force,"_ it read, the font a clear Verdana, size ten. "_The International Shuggazoom Football Association thanks you for your charitable donation in support of the upcoming games. We would like to stress our gratitude in your impressive guitar and piano singing performance at the club on the 28__th__ November. Your miniature concert was loved by all of our fans, who will surely wish for you to perform again at a later date."_

"Woah, _seriously_...?" Chiro asked in amazement. He loved football, as did the others on the team, though he never took Antauri for a football fan. Out of them all Antauri was actually the least interested in football, the most interested in music. Chiro's favourite team, however, was the Shuggazoom Crusaders – a team that travelled the globe and played very well.

"_As per requested, we have secured six VIP tickets for you and the rest of your team for the incoming 23__rd__ December play offs. We are honoured to have such prestigious guests – and superheroes no less! – attend one of our matches. VIP benefits include a private meeting after the conclusion of the match, plus photographs and an autographed shirt signed by all of the team for each participant. You seemed to fondly discuss with us your team leader, Chiro, and it is with pleasure that we have discussed and made our arrangements for the private ride in the Crusader's caravan with the team captain."_

"_Again, thank you very much for what you have done for Shuggazoom. Without your offer our charity event would surely have been a failure, and we would not have obtained the charities that were given to us. We know that you didn't want anything else in return for your services however we insist that you receive a 50% cut on all future tickets purchased within the next five years. Enclosed in the box are your tickets and VIP passes to the next game. You should arrive at midday – and please enjoy yourselves!"_

"_Thank you for your co-operation,_

_The International Shuggazoom Football Association."_

"Woah," Nova scowled, "How'd he manage that!"

"Free tickets to the game?" Chiro blurted, "Aw yeah! And it's the 18th today!"

"Antauri sure does have a lot of tricks stashed away," Otto gaped, practically drooling. Antauri, in human form, found himself grinning in amusement as Gibson pretty much fainted on the ground. Nova groaned as if pained, and held him up from hitting the ground. They'd been surprised to learn it but apparently Gibson was an avid Crusaders fan, and seldom shut up talking about them once he got started about them. It was frequently the source of much vexation.

"Well, we're gonna have to wrap it back up and put it in his room should we find him before then," Chiro muttered. "I just hope the Skeleton King hasn't got him..."

"Come on, Kid," Sprx smirked, "This is Antauri we're talkin' about! There's no _way_ he'd let that old bag of bones catch him! He'd be unconscious before he hit the floor!"

Antauri's strength, both physical and mental, was feared throughout the team, which was probably why they all respected him as much as they did. He was always the calm one; the understanding one, who never shied away from his duty, never let his fears or flaws get the best of his judgement. Even when Gibson, who was a doctor by nature, had been asked to give their youngest – Otto – a talk about sex a few years ago, it had been the all wise Antauri that had explained most of the concepts to the creative mechanic.

Gibson had felt he'd also learned something from the experience. You could always learn something near Antauri, be it about him or from him.

Otto watched the sealing of the silver tickets, imbued with a sense of ardour that far reached past the boundaries of simple interest. He was obsessed, his eyes roaming for any last trace of the tiny scraps of paper that meant so much.

Strange, how a simple, single object could hold so much. Chiro vanished up the tube leading to Antauri's room and the mute monkey-turned-human followed him, sensing intense, deplorable sorrow radiating from the child like a heatwave beneath the ever watchful iris of a heat detector.

Antauri gazed about the instantly calming room with a sudden hunger to meditate. The various inscriptions etched onto the walls immediately soothed his troubled heart, easing the frustration of his predicament. Why couldn't he remember anything? What had happened, and if he wasn't this Antauri that they were looking for, then who was he?

The walls, which were clad in snowy mountainous wallpapers depicting the colossal rock formations standing firm against what could only be described as harsh flowing gales, stood out well against the soft cream sand over the ground. As it moved around the room it morphed into wind, at the opposite side, an eclipsed horizon shrouded by pale ivory clouds. There was a gargantuan hourglass, half completed, embedded into the wall.

It was beautiful. Antauri stepped carefully over the stream that swept across the room and onto the calm sand, reaching down and pressing a hand against one of the many coloured boulders buried into the floor, rimmed by markings in the sand. Each had it's own inscription, like a design, and somehow he could read each of the patterns that rested there.

Where the wallpaper ceased, rimmed with golden painted barriers, the wall was a metallic purple, the door a murky blue. The room itself was circular and there was a bamboo pipe slanted down, feeding water into the starving stream, perched like a bird.

Chiro rested the box down on the sand beside two of the stones and sighed. As he nestled it into a dip he scooped, and shuffled the sand back up against the boxes.

"This is Antauri's room," Chiro mumbled despondently, turning once he'd finished. "You know all of the others by now. Antuari is the black monkey; he's the one that I always turn to for advice, because he always has the best things to say. If he were here, he'd be assisting you in your attempts to regain your voice and your memory, but..."

_'This Antauri is absent from the robot. Even if I am the monkey they are searching for, I am not him. I am simply an empty shell; I hold no memories of him, but...'_

"He's a brother to me," Chiro went on, distractedly, as though he didn't realise what he was saying, or care. "More than that. Perhaps a father, even, because he supports me through everything I've ever done, even if he has his doubts."

Antauri slowly sat down, listening to the confessions of the strange child. There was something nagging in the back of his mind, something that he swore was important.

"I guess I just really miss him. I know he's strong; he's the strongest of us all, the wisest. I can tell him anything and he won't judge me, and he wants what's best for everyone, even strangers."

Flashes of memories flowed back to him as his hand gently dipped into the stream, showing his reflection clearly, though distorted through the ripples. A sudden image appeared in front of him – a slender black monkey with careful green eyes, observant, patient, understanding. His helmet was ridged, like eyebrows, and his muzzle and chest were both whiter than snow.

_'And I can't be this character,' _Antauri nodded, watching as Chiro simply traversed the room, lost in his thoughts. _'But I can be again. This child has helped me, even though he's under pressure himself. And he's but a child. How can someone so young hold so much responsibility on their shoulders?'_

_'No,'_ Antauri gasped. He could remember it all now. Who he was, where he was, what he'd done – everything. The pain and frustration melted away into a calm aura that seemed natural to him. _'He needs someone to take the weight for him, because he's not strong enough. That's my job, and in my haste, in my anger, I've forgotten that what means most to me.'_

"I don't even know if he's alive," Chiro growled, fist clenched, jaw set tensely. An expression of anger crossed over his face. "He's not answering our calls, maintaining radio silence, or he's simply not able to answer us because he's hurt, or..." Chiro couldn't finish that. He crumpled to his knees, choking on his breath; his thoughts, and Antauri immediately appeared by his side. His long hair swept the sand beneath him and the mute monkey-turned-human rested a hand on his back, dressed in exactly the same wear as yesterday.

"I know it's not fair but I need him," Chiro sobbed, "I can't really manage on my own, and I hate it. I hate him for making me worry."

_'Because you're just a child. You should be running around with your friends, playing football, not fighting off genocidal freak-murderers bent on ravaging the cosmos and breaking down reality as we know it.'_

Antauri, speechless in both senses, simply nodded towards his self-appointed charge. He held the boy close and rocked him back and forth slowly.

Chiro's soft crying slowly subsided into a soft, shivering whimper. _'_Shhhh,' Antauri hushed him, using the air as a way of soothing him. That was another thing Antauri was good at – using the environment to his advantage. Something he'd learned at the Veron temple.

Yet without speech, how could he possibly try to communicate with the team? Seeing Chiro like this disheartened and pressured was against his nature. But how could he possibly prove his identity? Sprx was already suspicious – the red monkey not readily trusting him, and Gibson had every doubt about monkeys turning into humans, since it defied logic.

Otto and Nova might listen, but even then how could he prove it? Gibson might be able to prove it with tests but this change affected the entire team – not just him. He couldn't even access his claws or psychic powers at the moment – he needed to figure out how to regain them.

Chiro moved to shift away, finding the warmth between them both uncomfortable. There was something he could try, but he had to count on Chiro's distress.

Antauri turned around so he crouched in front of Chiro, and gently pushed him down into a sitting position. Chiro stiffened as the man's gentle hands shifted him into the lotus position, and then he sat down himself, in the position that felt natural – the same stance as Chiro – and nodded.

He took point; his right arm gathering into a fist while his other gently clamped over it like a seal. He took a deep breath and sighed, then closed his eyes, sensing somewhere that Chiro was following his example.

There was an abyss; a gentle white tickling mist that drifted around Chiro, and he was hovering on top of it, feet dangling off of the edge, the face of the endless earthy brown cliffs cracked and aged.

He jumped visibly when Antauri appeared by his side; but as a black monkey, his eyes filled with something that Chiro couldn't identify. A hand rested over his shoulder and Chiro's face lit up with glee as he saw the familial stature of his mentor.

"This is your state of mind," he reminded the boy gently, gazing out across the abyss which seemed to have no end, no bottom; a pit that once he fell into, he'd never be able to escape from. The cracks steadily grew longer, wider, threatening to swallow him whole. "You must calm yourself, Chiro, not just for your own sake, but for the sake of the team."

"Where are you?" Chiro pleaded, tone laced with mild anger, suddenly becoming more irate. A massive crack split through the cave like lightning.

"Relax," Antauri ushered, "Deep breaths, Chiro. I'm with you now, I always will be, either in mind, body or spirit. But you must trust me to do what is right for you."

Chiro sucked in a breath, closed his eyes and then sighed. The black shadows fizzled away like a soluble tablet. The landscape turned into a lush green meadow, the sun beaming down atop the emerald green grass that somehow looked exactly like the strange human's eyes.

The wind gently caressed his hair and Chiro purred quietly, tilting his head up. He enjoyed these meditating sessions with Antauri more than he ever admitted. Once he'd been calmed, his blue eyes opened again, and he smiled. Antauri always knew how to calm him, always knew when he was upset.

"Where are you?" He repeated, this time softer. "Why did you run away? We're all worried about you!"

Antauri wanted to reply, but some things still eluded him. He didn't remember everything after all. "I've lost myself," he said evasively, "But I'll find myself soon enough. I need you to trust me."

"But where _are_ you, Antauri? Why won't you tell me?"

Silence. "Chiro, you must understand that-..."

"That you won't tell me why you're avoiding us? Antauri, I know what that kid said was harmful, but none of it is true!" Chiro said sharply.

Antauri took a steady breath and looked out across the meadow. The sky was starting to darken. "I'm not avoiding you," he responded simply, "I'm here, aren't I? I'm not responding to my in-ear radio because I cannot do so. Something... Something has happened to render me unable to communicate with you."

"Then why don't you come back?"

"I'm with you, always, Chiro," Antauri sat down and closed his eyes, tail curling around his body contently. "I respect your privacy when you require it. Please understand that I also need mine, and though it hurts you, I need some time to myself."

"If you were stressed," Chiro leaned forward, trying to search his mentor's gaze, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have arranged for you to go on a holiday or something. You never take a break – it's long overdue."

"I'm not taking a break," Antauri protested meekly, his voice quiet. "I'm not stressed either. I'm fine, however this is a situation that I have not been manoeuvred into willingly."

"You were forced?" Chiro asked. Suddenly a tone of urgency laced his voice; "Antauri, is someone hunting you?"

"Chiro," chuckled Antauri in amusement, "You worry too much about me. I'm capable of looking after myself, and I'm fine. Besides," the charcoal monkey smiled up at the taller teenager, "Aren't you busy looking after your new friend?"

"How- How do you know about him?" Chiro stuttered.

A rumbling purr. "Oh, I think you'll find I'm not so alone, Chiro. I do have people with me. And just because I'm indisposed doesn't mean I'm unaware of what the team is up to."

Why wasn't he just telling the team outright that he was the human? Because he was being honest – he wasn't himself. He felt like he was locked inside a strangers' body; he needed time to adjust, to get his voice back, and only then, when he understood himself and make peace once more, could he finally rejoin his team mates for good.

"I also know you've been reading my mail," he said suggestively. His right brow quirked with amusement; mock annoyance, and he gave a sly grin that made Chiro blush deeply.

"I- I mean, we- We were worried about you!" He gasped.

"Ohhh I'm not angry, Chiro," Antauri purred silkily, his voice a smooth drawl. "I would have done the same thing, though I'd have been more cautious about it. I want you to enjoy the trip – take your new friend with you. I'm sure he'll enjoy the experience. I bet Gibson fainted when he saw the tickets."

"He did!" Chiro burst out into laughter, clutching his stomach. "He actually did! Nova had to hold him up!"

Tutting, Antauri shook his head well naturedly. "Of course, of course."

Silence fell for a minute and the two sat in companionable harmony. "I have to go," Antauri finally broke the silence. "But Chiro, trust this newcomer as you would trust me, and let him help you in my place. He will be a powerful ally."

As Antauri rose to stand, Chiro gripped his arm in a vice grip, his eyes reflecting panic. "I will see you again, won't I? You'll come back soon."

Antauri flashed him a secretive smile. "Believe me, Chiro," he murmured gently, "You're seeing me sooner than you think. Much sooner."

Surprise claimed him when Chiro pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his chin into the monkey's shoulder. "Promise?" He asked.

Antauri smiled weakly and nuzzled Chiro's jaw gently. Chiro was still a child, and even he needed to be reassured from time to time. "Of course." He responded calmly. "I promise. But only if you promise to trust me, Chiro."

"Always," Chiro said, "I'll _always_ trust you, Antauri."


End file.
